In this blog, I provide you with a list books that I have found to be very helpful in my coaching career. Some of the books are about the techniques of teaching the game of basketball, and others are concerned with offense, defense and fundamentals of the game…while still others are leadership books. I read once that a person should read from 2 to 4 books per month. I do not come close to that, but it great advice. I have also read the following quote: “When we quit learning we are dead.” We are never too old to learn.
On this list are 12 books by or about John Wooden, who is my favorite coach. Dean Smith, who is one of the all all-time greats, has several books on this list as well.
Also, notice the number of books written by successful football coaches. In my opinion, football coaches seem to be more organized than basketball coaches and we certainly can learn from and take ideas from coaches of other sports. The book by Jim Tressel is outstanding. It is one of the best books I have ever read by any coach in regard to working with people, building a program, setting standards, and building relationships.
I also would like to mention that coaching and teaching, which are one and the same, is all about building relationships with the people you are working with and trying to develop. If coaches have good relationships with their players, and have their trust, they are well on their way to having a successful program. In my mind, that is why we read and study the work of other coaches and people who have been successful in whatever they have tried to do.
“Practical Modern Basketball,” John Wooden
“They Call Me Coach,” John Wooden & Jack Tobin
“Coach Wooden One on One,” John Wooden & Jay Tobin
“The Wizard of Westwood,” Dwight Chapin & Jeff Prugh
“Coach Wooden’s Leadership Game Plan for Success,” John Wooden & Steve Jamison
“How to Be Like Coach Wooden,” Pat Williams with David Wimbish
“The Essential Wooden,” John Wooden & Steve Jamison
“Wooden on Leadership,” John Wooden & Steve Jamison
“The John Wooden Pyramid of Success,” Neville Johnson
“John Wooden’s High Post Offense,” John Wooden & Swen Nater
“My Personal Best,” John Wooden & Steve Jamison
“Wooden, A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court,” John Wooden & Steve Jamison
“Basketball: Multiple Offense and Defense,” Dean Smith
“A Coach’s Life,” Dean Smith
“The Carolina Way,” Dean Smith with Gerald D. Bell
“The 12 Leadership Principles of Dean Smith,” by David Chadwick
“Five Point Play,” Mike Krzyzewski
“Leading With the Heart,” Mike Krzyzewski
“Success is a Choice,” Rick Pitino
“Rebound Rules, The Art of Success 2.0,” Rick Pitino
“Mind Games,” Phil Jackson
“Sacred Hoops,” Phil Jackson
“Basketball Concepts and Techniques,” Bob Cousy and Frank Power
“Driven From Within,” Michael Jordan
“Values of the Game,” Bill Bradley
“Russell Rules,” Bill Russell
“A Passion to Lead,” Jim Calhoun
“Let Me Tell You My Story,” John Feinstein and Red Auerbach
“The Miracle of St. Anthony’s,” Adrian Wojnarowski
“Multiple Defenses for Winning Basketball,” Delmer (Del) Harris
“Coaching Basketball Successfully,” Morgan Wooten
“Coaching Basketball,” Jerry Krause & Ralph Pim
“The Winner Within,” Pat Riley
“Showtime,” Pat Riley
“Values of the Game,” Bill Bradley
“Basketball, Building the Complete Program,” Norm Stewart & George Scholz
“Reach for the Summit,” Pat Summitt
“What It Takes to Be #1,” Vince Lombardi
“The Winners Manual,” Jim Tressel
“Bo’s Lasting Lessons,” Bo Schembechler
“Wins, Losses and Lessons,” Lou Holtz
“Winning Everyday,” Lou Holtz
“Think Like a Champion,” Mike Shanahan
“Beyond Winning, the Timeless Wisdom of Great Philosopher Coaches,” Gary Walton
“Quiet Strength,” Tony Dungy
“The Lombardi Rules,” Vince Lombardi, Jr.
“Competitive Leadership, Twelve Principles of Success,” Brian Billick with James Peterson, PhD.
“The Fighting Spirit,” Lou Holtz with John Heisler
“A Strategy for Winning,” Carl Mays
“When Pride Still Mattered,” Dave Maraniss
